1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a partially retractable roof for a vehicle.
2. Background Art
Retractable roofs and convertible tops are generally designed for sedan or coupe style vehicles. Sport utility vehicles have been provided with removable rigid roofs and snap-on or detachable soft tops that may be manually removed from rigid supports that surround the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Sport utility vehicles and vans may have sunroofs that provide a small open area but generally fail to provide any openings for the rear portion of the passenger compartment.
Vehicles are generally provided in a particular type of body style but some consumers desire multi-purpose vehicles that can function as a passenger vehicle and also as a cargo-carrying vehicle. One sport utility vehicle is known that has a partially retractable central roof portion. The roof has central roof panels that are retracted and stacked sequentially as they are shifted from the rear tailgate toward the front of the vehicle. This design provides an open rear portion of the vehicle while the side windows and frame members remain in place. The side portions tend to obstruct access from the sides of the vehicle to the rear cargo area of the vehicle.
There is a need for a vehicle roof system that may be simply constructed to provide either a configuration with a fully covered passenger and cargo compartment or a configuration with an open cargo compartment for hauling large items. An important factor for such a design is to allow unobstructed access to the cargo area from the side of the vehicle, as well as the rear. Another important factor for such a design is that it should be easily converted from one configuration to the other. Another important factor for such a design is that it is modular and flexible. Yet another important factor is that the design provide convenient and efficient storage for modular panels when the cargo compartment is open.
This invention is directed to solving these and other problems associated with the prior art as summarized and described below.